Day 3 (last day) in Capetown

Started Thursday with the daily included breakfast at our hotel. It was a lavish spread of cold foods, juices, fruits & pastries. At no extra charge you could order hot foods such as eggs Benedict, Turkish eggs, omelets, and avocado toast. The avocados are locally grown and amazingly delicious.  Met Samo  about 9am and drove along Hiway 2 SW to Stellenbosch for an olive oil tasting at Morgenster Estate. It was a cool but sunny morning. There were both black & green olives & tapenades and 5 “vintages” of oil with delicious bread & crackers followed by ice cream drizzled with the lemon infused (lemons grown on the Estate) in beautiful surroundings. The original olive tree cuttings were brought from Italy, and now the oils win world-wide awards. Sue purchased the Lemon infused to give to our guide Samo (his favorite) and the Extra Virgin for herself. (That was sadly confiscated at the airport as we headed to Maun)

As we drove, Samo told many stories about his family and youth. His dad was a doctor who did much charitable work, and Samo’s background was business school. He worked in business and finance for some years but eventually found his way to tourism - our good fortune as his stories are fascinating.  He grew up protesting Apartheid and met Bishop Tutu many times. He was in the right place at the right time for Mandela’s big speech on his release from prison. He pointed out many milestone spots in the struggle against Apartheid, such as Bishop Tutu’s Church. He told a story of being among protesters when his dad drove up and forced him to come home. His dad had treated many victims of police violence and was naturally protective of Samo. Shortly after they arrived home, they got a call that the police had opened fire on protesters on the very corner where Samo had been standing, and several were killed.  Samo also told about the Truth and Reconciliation Council that dealt with the former Apartheid leaders. It was sobering to hear these stories while driving through some of the most beautiful scenery imaginable. 

Our next stop was Waterford Estates for a wine and chocolate tasting. The grounds were gorgeous and the staff very professional. We tasted 3 wines paired with chocolates. The Estate was located in a lush area filled with horse farms and vineyards. Some incredibly wealthy people call the area home and we noticed many Lamborghinis on the road. 

We drove toward Franshhoek - where French people originally settled. There are still a few French flags flying but nobody speaks French anymore. Per Samo, the Dutch wouldn’t have it. As we went in for lunch, the weather turned - it was cloudy and drizzly. We dined inside and Sue had the braised Springbok. Rugby fans will appreciate having the Springbok(s) for lunch.  We then drove into Franshhoek, but stayed in the car rather than do a walking tour. We saw a monument created by the French community to celebrate the freedom of religion they enjoyed in South Africa. We stopped at a Belgian chocolate shop - Samo’s treat. 

We then drove to Victor Verster prison, Nelson Mandela’s last place of custody, where he was finally released after more than 27 years of imprisonment. Samo explained that Mandela insisted on walking rather than riding in the car for the last 400 feet. When he was asked why he did this, Mandela said that a guard had told him, “You’ll never walk out of here alive.” By this time the weather was downright nasty and our photo in front of Mandela’s statue is not our most photogenic  

We drove back to Capetown and visited 2 jewelry stores where Sue scored a small tanzanite. It came with a certificate that it was humanely harvested, so it will be wearable in Madison. 

It was still raining and we decided to eat dinner at the hotel restaurant, with our favorite waiter, Goodlaw. We met him our first night and became friendly. Originally from Zimbabwe, Goodlaw filled us in on local lore and culture and our big regret is we didn’t get a photo with him. It was a lovely dinner and we went to our rooms early to pack and get ready for our trip to Botswana tomorrow. 

We are composing this as we wait boarding for Maun, Botswana.  Stay tuned for further adventures!